Central Bedfordshire

Central Bedfordshire's population increased by about 20,700 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed quarter of a million

In the decade to 2011, the population of Central Bedfordshire increased by 8.9%, from just under 234,000 to 254,000.

The addition of just under 21,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Central Bedfordshire was home to, on average, 2.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Central Bedfordshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Central Bedfordshire increased by three years, from 37 to 40 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than Eastof England and became slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 8,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 6,000.

About 11.0% of people in Central Bedfordshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Central Bedfordshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

Central Bedfordshire saw Eastof England's third-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10.4%) households in Central Bedfordshire had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 9.4% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child remained close to 31.6%.

Across the region, only Stevenage (from 8.8% to 10.4%) and Rochford (from 10.9% to 12.2%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

During this period, Central Bedfordshire went from having the 19th-highest to the 11th-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Central Bedfordshire

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Central Bedfordshire was among those who said they had no religion, rising 12.3 points.

In 2011, 30.5% of respondents in Central Bedfordshire gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 18.2% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.2% to 30.0%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Central Bedfordshire, 66.7% said they were Christian, compared with 80.4% in 2001. About 0.3% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.2% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 7.3% to 7.3%.

In Central Bedfordshire, 6.8% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, the same percentage as in 2001. In East, 7.3% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Central Bedfordshire increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East and Central Bedfordshire by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Central Bedfordshire

The percentage of Central Bedfordshire residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 6.9% to 7.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.3% in 2001. The percentage of Central Bedfordshire residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.9% to 89.8%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 6.9% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Central Bedfordshire that rented privately increased from 6.9% to 12.1% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13.4%) households lived in social housing, compared with 14.0% in 2001. The percentage of Central Bedfordshire households that owned their home decreased from 76.8% to 72.6%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.6% in 2001 to 14.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Central Bedfordshire increased by 5.2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Central Bedfordshire, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Central Bedfordshire working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 15.3% to 11.8% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.6% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 14.7% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Central Bedfordshire decreased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Central Bedfordshire, Eastof England and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Central Bedfordshire residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.3% to 3.9% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84.7%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 73.3% in 2001. The percentage of Central Bedfordshire residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20.4% to 11.5%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Central Bedfordshire decreased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Central Bedfordshire, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Central Bedfordshire, which comprised a single parent, increased from 7.6% to 9.6% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (40.2%) households had a married couple, compared with 44.6% in 2001. The percentage of households in Central Bedfordshire, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.1% in 2001 to 9.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent in Central Bedfordshire increased by 2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Central Bedfordshire, Eastof England and England that had a single parent, March 2001 and March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

The percentage of adults in Central Bedfordshire that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 10.3% to 11.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (52.7%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 57.3% in 2001. The percentage of single people in Central Bedfordshire increased from 25.5% to 29.2%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 10.4% in 2001 to 11.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 10.6% to 11.6%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Central Bedfordshire

In 2011, 2.5% of Central Bedfordshire residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 1.2% in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.8% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 93.8% of people in Central Bedfordshire said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 97.3% in 2001. About 1.9% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.9% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.5% to 1.4%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Central Bedfordshire increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Central Bedfordshire by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Central Bedfordshire residents that were unemployed increased from 2.2% to 3.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (57.5%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 59.7% in 2001. The percentage of Central Bedfordshire residents that were self-employed increased from 9.7% to 11.0%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Central Bedfordshire increased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Central Bedfordshire, Eastof England and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Central Bedfordshire residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.5% to 1.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.8%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.8% in 2001 to 2.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Central Bedfordshire remained close to 1.9%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Central Bedfordshire by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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